The invention relates to a toy building element comprising a first beam-like part with a plane internal face and an external face, and a second beam-like part with a plane internal face and an external face, said beam-like parts being assembled at a corner whereby the two internal faces are caused to form an angle of less than 180xc2x0 relative to each other, wherein at least the first beam-like part is provided with an opening that extends transversally thereto from the external face to the internal face.
Such toy building element is known from the toy building set known under the name of LEGO Technic. This toy building set contains ia toy building elements in the form of straight beams provided with a number of openings that extend from the one side of the beam to the other. The toy building set also comprises toy building elements that consist of two beams that are assembled in a corner, wherein each of the beams is provided with at least one opening that extend(s) transversally of that beam. On their top faces, the toy building elements are provided with decored coupling studs, ie coupling studs that are configured as cylindrical pipes, whereas the bottom faces of the beams are provided with complementary coupling means in the form of outer skirts and, interiorly thereof, with downwardly protruding cylindrical studs.
Circular indentations are arranged around the openings to both sides of the beams, and such indentations serve to provide space for outwardly protruding collars on bushings that are also constituents of the toy building set and that can also be used to interconnect the beams or connect them with other toy building elements in the toy building set.
In case there are provided more openings in the same beam, they are arranged at a modular distance from each other, ie at the same distance from each other as the coupling studs on the top face of the beam. In practice, the openings are arranged centrally between the locations of the coupling studs.
In case of an angular element, ie a toy building element with two beam-like parts that are assembled at a corner, it is limited how far towards the corner an opening can be provided before it collides with the internal face of the other beam within the corner.
It is the object of the invention to provide a toy building element as featured above, in which toy building element an opening is provided further towards the corner than was previously known.
This is obtained by configuring the toy building element such that the opening is arranged so far towards the corner that the plane for the face of the plane internal face of the second beam-like part intersects the opening in the plane for the face of the plane internal face of the first beam-like part, and that the plane internal face of the second beam-like part is interrupted at a distance from the opening whereby a clearance is provided around the opening on the internal face of the first beam-like part.
By configuring the toy building element in this manner, additional play/building options are accomplished, since it is hereby possible to interconnect other toy building elements with the toy building element according to the invention further towards the corner than has been possible so far.
Preferably, the opening has a circular cross section and an indentation is provided around said opening on the external face as well as the internal face of the first beam-like part. It is the object of such indentation to provide space for outwardly protruding collars on eg bushings that are constituents of the toy building set.
Preferably, the indentation in the internal face of the beam-like part extends circularly around the one half of the opening and it continues around the remainder of the opening and out towards the edge at a width and a depth that correspond to the width and depth of the circular portion of the indentation. This configuration of the indentation is provided to avoid the need for providing decoring devices in the tool for the manufacture of the toy building element which would otherwise considerably increase the tool costs. This configuration is particularly advantageous in case of toy building elements with more beam-like parts that are angled relative to each other, since this would otherwise presuppose more decoring devices in various directions. The indentation has the shape of a roman arch around the opening that, besides adding to its functionality, also imparts thereto a harmonious appearance.
In a preferred embodiment the plane internal face of the second beam-like part is extended by an arched portion that arches inwards and collides with the plane internal face of the first beam-like part within the opening. Extension of the plane part with an arched part configured in this manner enables that the internal faces of the first and the second beam-like parts become coherent thereby imparting additional strength to the toy building element in its corner region compared to the case where the internal faces were not coherent.
According to a particular embodiment of a toy building element according to the invention, it comprises four beam-like parts that combine to form a closed frame, openings being provided in all of the beam-like parts. Since the invention makes it possible to provide openings close to the corners of the toy building elements, such frame element may be quite compact and yet be provided with comparatively many openings.
Preferably, the toy building element is provided with upwardly extending coupling studs and with downwardly extending skirts and pins that form coupling means that are complementary with the upwardly extending coupling studs which makes it compatible with other toy building elements in commonly available toy building sets.